State Attorney says he will look into Lentz incident at Club Topic

Published: Monday, March 24, 2014 at 9:58 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 24, 2014 at 10:26 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH — State Attorney R.J. Larizza said Monday he will investigate City Commissioner Carl Lentz’ visit to an adult entertainment club and claims made by the club owner that Lentz threatened to have the place shut down unless a female server had sex with him.

“It’s an investigation right now,” Larizza said. “We’ll take a look at what we’ve got and we’ll work with the Daytona Beach Police Department.”

Lentz’ attorney Lauren Y. Koleilat reiterated on Monday that the 38-year-old city commissioner denies the entire incident and says he was at the club simply to discuss the sale of the business with the owner.

Lentz received a trespass warning after the incident early Friday.

Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood sent the state attorney an email on Friday evening because he was concerned a crime may have occurred at Club Topic based on claims by club owner William Bittorf that Lentz demanded sex from a certain server in exchange for “lighter policing” of the adult entertainment venue.

“I’m very concerned about the Commissioner’s actions,” Chitwood wrote in his email to the state attorney.

Bittorf told The News-Journal that Lentz — a commercial real estate broker who was elected to the City Commission in 2012 — arrived at the nightclub at 400 E. International Speedway Blvd. about 11:30 p.m. Thursday and had two beers and a shot of liquor. Bittorf said after Lentz drank the shot, he became irate and began harassing two female servers.

He focused on one of the women and wanted her to have sex with him, but she refused, Bittorf told a Daytona Beach police officer who responded to his 9-1-1 call.

Bittorf told Daytona Beach Detective Diana Shore the same story on Friday morning.

The detective sent an email Friday to Chief Chitwood stating: “Mr. Lentz came into the club early this morning and asked the employee at the door for a meeting with the manager. Mr. Lentz was told to wait at the bar until William was available. While at the bar waiting, Lentz had a Grey Goose and cranberry drink. Several minutes later, William sat and spoke with him. William said that initially Lentz did not appear or speak as if he was intoxicated; however, after a while began to act as ‘if he were high or on something’ despite only having one drink.”

The detective wrote in the email that Lentz asked the club owner to “get me a girl” to perform oral sex. “William told him that it wasn’t that type of place and they wouldn’t do that to any of their girls. Lentz said ‘you aren’t going to do that for me?’ and became upset. He then told him that he would have the club shut down and would ‘take the place for pennies on the dollar.’ He then told William that he has the Chief of Police on speed dial and that the Chief will help him shut down every strip club starting with Club Topic,” according to the detective’s email.

Detective Shore also wrote that Bittorf asked Lentz to leave, but he refused. Bittorf tried to “diffuse the situation” and allowed Lentz to stay. When Bittorf walked away several minutes later, Shore wrote, “Lentz began trying to grab a female employee and propositioned her.”

Bittorf told The News-Journal that he sat down at the end of the bar with the city commissioner and tried to calm him down after Lentz became irate. Bittorf played a surveillance video from the bar that was fuzzy, but showed two men talking at the end of the counter. Bittorf said the female server neared the bar and Lentz got up and tried to reach for her. Lentz then attempted to go behind the bar, so he could get closer to the frightened employee, he said.

When the server rebuffed his advances, Lentz flung a glass of beer at her face, Bittorf and the police chief said.

The surveillance video then shows a bouncer walking quickly toward the bar. In a separate camera frame, the bouncer is seen with both his hands on Lentz’ back, gently pushing the commissioner toward the front door of the club.

Bittorf has not released that surveillance video to police, Chitwood said.

State Attorney Larizza said if the packet of information he received from the Police Department regarding the incident isn’t complete, his office could request or subpoena the information from Bittorf.

Besides calling the Club Topic episode embarrassing for Daytona Beach, City Commissioner Pam Woods said Monday it would be troubling if Lentz used his position as an elected official as leverage.

“When anyone in public office uses their position for any reason or their influence for any reason, that’s what concerns me,” she said. “If anything criminal occurred, that would be up to the state attorney.”

After Daytona Beach Police Officer Dawn Harris issued a trespass warning to Lentz early Friday, the commissioner’s fiancée arrived at the club and drove him home, police said.

<p><span class="Dateline">DAYTONA BEACH —</span> State Attorney R.J. Larizza said Monday he will investigate City Commissioner Carl Lentz’ visit to an adult entertainment club and claims made by the club owner that Lentz threatened to have the place shut down unless a female server had sex with him.</p><p>“It’s an investigation right now,” Larizza said. “We’ll take a look at what we’ve got and we’ll work with the Daytona Beach Police Department.” </p><p>Lentz’ attorney Lauren Y. Koleilat reiterated on Monday that the 38-year-old city commissioner denies the entire incident and says he was at the club simply to discuss the sale of the business with the owner.</p><p>Lentz received a trespass warning after the incident early Friday.</p><p>Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood sent the state attorney an email on Friday evening because he was concerned a crime may have occurred at Club Topic based on claims by club owner William Bittorf that Lentz demanded sex from a certain server in exchange for “lighter policing” of the adult entertainment venue. </p><p>“I’m very concerned about the Commissioner’s actions,” Chitwood wrote in his email to the state attorney.</p><p>Bittorf told The News-Journal that Lentz — a commercial real estate broker who was elected to the City Commission in 2012 — arrived at the nightclub at 400 E. International Speedway Blvd. about 11:30 p.m. Thursday and had two beers and a shot of liquor. Bittorf said after Lentz drank the shot, he became irate and began harassing two female servers. </p><p>He focused on one of the women and wanted her to have sex with him, but she refused, Bittorf told a Daytona Beach police officer who responded to his 9-1-1 call. </p><p>Bittorf told Daytona Beach Detective Diana Shore the same story on Friday morning. </p><p>The detective sent an email Friday to Chief Chitwood stating: “Mr. Lentz came into the club early this morning and asked the employee at the door for a meeting with the manager. Mr. Lentz was told to wait at the bar until William was available. While at the bar waiting, Lentz had a Grey Goose and cranberry drink. Several minutes later, William sat and spoke with him. William said that initially Lentz did not appear or speak as if he was intoxicated; however, after a while began to act as ‘if he were high or on something’ despite only having one drink.”</p><p>The detective wrote in the email that Lentz asked the club owner to “get me a girl” to perform oral sex. “William told him that it wasn’t that type of place and they wouldn’t do that to any of their girls. Lentz said ‘you aren’t going to do that for me?’ and became upset. He then told him that he would have the club shut down and would ‘take the place for pennies on the dollar.’ He then told William that he has the Chief of Police on speed dial and that the Chief will help him shut down every strip club starting with Club Topic,” according to the detective’s email. </p><p>Detective Shore also wrote that Bittorf asked Lentz to leave, but he refused. Bittorf tried to “diffuse the situation” and allowed Lentz to stay. When Bittorf walked away several minutes later, Shore wrote, “Lentz began trying to grab a female employee and propositioned her.” </p><p>Bittorf told The News-Journal that he sat down at the end of the bar with the city commissioner and tried to calm him down after Lentz became irate. Bittorf played a surveillance video from the bar that was fuzzy, but showed two men talking at the end of the counter. Bittorf said the female server neared the bar and Lentz got up and tried to reach for her. Lentz then attempted to go behind the bar, so he could get closer to the frightened employee, he said. </p><p>When the server rebuffed his advances, Lentz flung a glass of beer at her face, Bittorf and the police chief said. </p><p>The surveillance video then shows a bouncer walking quickly toward the bar. In a separate camera frame, the bouncer is seen with both his hands on Lentz’ back, gently pushing the commissioner toward the front door of the club.</p><p>Bittorf has not released that surveillance video to police, Chitwood said.</p><p>State Attorney Larizza said if the packet of information he received from the Police Department regarding the incident isn’t complete, his office could request or subpoena the information from Bittorf.</p><p>Besides calling the Club Topic episode embarrassing for Daytona Beach, City Commissioner Pam Woods said Monday it would be troubling if Lentz used his position as an elected official as leverage.</p><p>“When anyone in public office uses their position for any reason or their influence for any reason, that’s what concerns me,” she said. “If anything criminal occurred, that would be up to the state attorney.”</p><p>After Daytona Beach Police Officer Dawn Harris issued a trespass warning to Lentz early Friday, the commissioner’s fiancée arrived at the club and drove him home, police said.</p>